Text description provided by the architects. The project is located in the "Les Prairies du Canal" quarter in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, eastern France, an inhabited woodland, free of any car traffic. Close to the Rhine-Rhône Canal, the site enjoys a privileged environment dominated by nature in order to promote biodiversity and create social links between the inhabitants. The rectangular volume of the building expresses clear compactness consistent with the limited urban densification specific to this eco-district. Our project responds to the needs of the neighborhood without creating urban sprawl and freeing up quality spaces on the ground floor. All the facades have been designed according to the same principle, which means that there is no "rear facade" and thus, a dialogue with all the neighboring buildings. © Cyrille LallementThe facade pillars are beveled, and arranged in an alternating manner according to a grid, creating a variation of the facade. In order to guarantee the privacy of the balconies and to filter the views, wooden railings and view guards, beveled in the manner of the structural grid, preserve the privacy of the dwellings by making the façades vibrate. The sloping roof gives a dynamic to the silhouette of the building offer more generous volumes to the flats located on the last levels allows the residents to meet and organize activities You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email CONTACTHomeArtworksArtistsAboutAt the origin we find a passion for both discovery and excellence Jean-Christophe Linder founded Pleasure Wine & Arts with the objective of combining two universes whose alchemy is well established: art and wine editions and photographs are brought together in a collection nourished by an intense.. over a century after the first city hall was built, the municipal team of illkirch-graffenstaden, france decided to develop exemplary new public facilities. the rehabilitated building by atelier filippini is opening its doors giving visitors an opportunity to discover a project that is functional and compact both in terms of services and architectural design the entrance volumephoto © christian creutz the stainless steel shell and the water featurephoto © christian creutz detail of the glass façade and steel shellphoto © christian creutz the steel tree structurephoto © atelier filippini public reception areaphoto © christian creutz  the complex has an iconic position within the city the reception area appears as a protective shell floating above a body of water encased in a steel envelope reflecting the sky and surrounding façades the curved surfaces feature a randomly computed assortment of perforations that manipulate lighting effects west façade of the administration and social centerphoto © christian creutz the aluminum composite claddingphoto © christian creutz ensuring the project fits into the existing urban environment with aspects of past and future architect renato filippini has taken into account the client’s requirements. the building is accessible to everyone and respects the environment by using innovative materials and techniques that are sustainable and energy efficient open-space areaphoto © christian creutz view from the entrancephoto © atelier filippini  relationship with its surroundingsphoto © atelier filippini francecontracting authority: city of illkirch-graffenstadenagent architect: atelier filippiniengineering consultant: OTE ingénierieenvironmental engineering consultant: OTELIOacoustic expert: akoustik ingénierie & conseilscost: 5,300,000 € HTcompetition: 2011construction: 2012-2014completion: september 2014 designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. Text description provided by the architects. The rehabilitation and extension of the city hall aims to connect three very different buildings: one dating back to the 19th century and two others dating back to the 1970s. By adding a new reception structure and by improving the thermal performance and visual aspect of building envelopes, this project creates a new image of the city hall, in addition to a modern, open vision of administrative services. The project’s different components all transmit a contemporary image of the city hall. The glass façades, stainless steel structure and mesh used for connecting elements have been designed as aspects of a new urban landmark that ensures the city is seen in a modern light. © Christian CreutzThis approach is supported by a visual communication strategy featuring dramatic lighting. Light-emitting diodes, which can be used in many different configurations, illuminate the glass façade, the stainless steel shell and the water feature. Floor PlanThe new public reception area is located in the lower level of the building so visitors can enjoy interactions on a more human scale. The idea is not to impress, but to welcome. However, this does not mean the architectural project cannot be distinctive or even unique, as befitting the representative nature of this kind of building. © Christian CreutzSeparating Structures To enhance the site’s different architectural entities, low volumes have been created to link existing buildings. A stainless steel mesh covers all connecting and transitional elements, and is used to protect the lower floor of the glass façade. DetailThe structure suspended between the two 1970s buildings is not just a passageway. It is also a transitional zone where indoor and outdoor meeting rooms, rest areas, waiting rooms and loggias can easily be transformed for private or public use.       © Christian CreutzDeveloping Private Outdoor Areas Small terraces are dotted around the buildings. In addition to being used by staff during breaks, they create openness and views to and from outdoor areas. The large terrace above the reception area – both mineral and vegetable – can be used for official ceremonies and weddings.   © Christian CreutzHighlighting Heritage Value Today, the site is home to three buildings that were constructed using three completely different styles. One of our priorities was to portray a single, coherent establishment, while respecting the heritage value of the 19th-century building. West ElevationConsequently, the two modern buildings were given new metal/glass skins featuring screen-printed façades and stainless steel mesh covering connecting and transitional elements. The glass façade is set back from the historical façade. This respectful attitude to the older edifice also ensures direct sunlight is provided to all offices. © Christian CreutzThis approach highlights the autonomous nature of the new reception area, which is housed in an architectural structure that is stylistically different to all pre-existing buildings. Its curved shape and ethereal form absorbs and highlights the differences in surrounding buildings. It is another historical element in the existing composition and does not detract from the monumental nature of the adjacent building.  This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Read our Privacy Notice This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again By 2016-04-25T13:02:00+01:00 The opening of the extension coincides with the extension of Line E services to Campus Ilkirch FRANCE: Test running on an extension of tram Line A in Strasbourg commenced on January 14 Passenger services on the 1·7 km extension south to Illkirch-Graffenstaden are expected to start in the spring work continues on the 3·9 km eastern extension of Line D to Kehl in Germany FRANCE: Alstom has signed a framework agreement for the supply of 50 Citadis trams to Strasbourg are expected to enter service by the end of 2016 The trams will be put into service on Line A and Line D Site powered by Webvision Cloud By Jacob Aron Thirty-one astronauts have made a return-trip to Mars not quite – but they have put in the requisite hours in space That’s just one of the surprising insights to come out of a recent attempt to chart humanity’s 52-year history in space Gilles Clément and Angelia Bukley of the International Space University in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France, used publicly available information from the US, Russian and Chinese space programmes. Between 12 April 1961, when Yuri Gagarin took a single orbit around the Earth on board the Soviet Vostok-1 craft and December 2013 they counted the humans who have flown to space how long they collectively spent there and who they were then put them in context with data from elsewhere Astronauts are as common as Nobel prizewinners defined as reaching an altitude of 100 kilometres or more and roughly equivalent to the 566 people who have ever won a Nobel prize in a science subject (physics (Note: Clément and Bukley’s analysis does not include the two commercial astronauts who piloted the SpaceShipOne test flights in 2004 who were in space for just a few minutes each.) Gagarin’s single orbit of the Earth lasted just 108 minutes. Clément and Bukley found that of a total of 1211 person-flights, defined as a single crew member flying one mission, most last less than a month. Presumably these short hops were trips to the moon and missions spent inside NASA’s now-retired space shuttle to build and repair the International Space Station But a significant minority spent five or six months Many astronauts spend more than a year of their life in space Though no single trip has been longer than Valeri Polyakov’s 437 days aboard the Soviet space station Mir if you count total time in space over a lifetime Thirty-one astronauts have been to Mars and back One of Clément and Bukley’s most surprising observations is that 31 travellers have spent over a year in total in space, enough to make a trip to Mars and back – though the exact travel time depends on relative positions of Earth and the Red Planet Last year, a private foundation announced plans to send a man and woman on a 501-day round-trip to Mars to “represent all of humanity” Spaceflight so far has been far from representative when it comes to gender though it is not the only extreme pursuit with a skew Space travel is not as dangerous as you might expect Clément and Bukley also examined the risks of space travel. Counting two lost shuttles and two lost Soyuz capsules, the pair calculated that the chance of dying on a space mission is 1.5 per cent, markedly less than the percentage of people who die attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest Journal reference: Acta Astronautica, DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.04.002 Alstom is to supply 10 additional Citadis trams to the Strasbourg transport company CTS (Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois)  for an amount of 28 million euros ($30.05 million) as part of a framework agreement signed in November 2014 The first binding part of this agreement covered the supply of 12 Citadis trams due to enter commercial service at the end of April 2017 These trams are intended for the extension of lines A and D and will serve the city centre of Illkirch-Graffenstaden which has undergone rapid development over the last few years They will also run on the cross-border line linking the centre of Strasbourg to Kehl in Germany; these are the first trams in France to cross a border The first technical and gauge tests concerning circulation on the German portion of line D start today with the new Citadis trams Alstom is also responsible for the design and installation of the overhead contact line for the line D extension towards Kehl as well as the laying of 300 metres of track on the Rhine Bridge "With a first order in 2003 and the signing of a framework agreement in 2014 which includes this new order the CTS will own a total of 63 Citadis trams The exterior design of the cabin was chosen by the passengers; the Strasbourg tram therefore proves that Alstom's Citadis range can be based on tried-and-tested technology while being highly personalised,” said Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud The Citadis trams of Strasbourg will be the first approved by German Federal BoStrab regulations covering the manufacture and operation of trams in Germany The trams will be 45 metres long with a capacity for 288 passengers They will be fitted with LED lighting and full glass doors enhancing passengers’ sense of comfort and security To conform to the PRM (People with Reduced Mobility) decree the trams are fitted with accessible buttons for opening doors wider seats and zones reserved for wheelchair users and pushchairs The trams will be manufactured mainly in France: La Rochelle (design and assembly of the trams) Ornans (design and manufacture of the engines) Le Creusot (bogies for intermediate modules) Saint-Ouen (design) and at the Salzgitter site in Germany for the bogies fitted under the drivers’ cabins A commune in eastern France is set to introduce a fine for pet owners who leave uncleaned mess in public following several other areas that have brought in similar policies.  Dog owners who fail to clean up poop risk a fine of €135 from mid-May onwards in Illkirch-Graffenstaden a ‘warning and prevention’ phase is in place with local police officers informing residents walking their dogs of the new rules and putting up flyers about the incoming penalties Uncleaned dog mess is circled with fluorescent orange spray paint to warn other owners pas crottoir’ (a play on words of trottoir “With the return of warm weather, we've had a number of complaints from residents, especially families who wanted to take advantage of the parks to let their children play,” said mayor of the commune Thibaud Philipps to local media France3 “These are incivilities that bother park and road users but they also harm the majority of dog owners who do things properly and are then stigmatized.”  with the commune hoping that dog walkers do the right thing and simply clean up the mess rather than risk the financial penalty.  “We've installed dog waste bag dispensers and free-roaming areas: these are fenced areas where dogs can be let off the leash and where owners have everything they need to pick up the droppings,” the mayor said.  Local police officers have identified the busiest times for dog-walking in the commune – that has around 27,000 inhabitants – and the most popular routes so they can be vigilant for any potential mess The mayor said that cleaning up dog mess was not a ‘priority’ for the commune but the measure is “part of an overall cleanliness and safety policy.”  The commune is the latest in a string of areas to introduce anti-dog waste measures.  Several communes have similar fines in place for dog owners caught failing to clean up their mess, such as in Bergerac (Dordogne) towns in the Alpes-Maritimes and in Hérault require dog owners to hand in DNA of their pets to compile a local database.  Samples of dog mess left in the towns are then collected and cross-referenced with the database so that guilty owners can be found and fined Read more: DNA of pet dogs to be used to trace mess on streets in village near Nice local residents take matters into their own hands.  A vigilante figure in Dordogne began planting white flags in uncleaned dog mess earlier this year in an attempt to shame dog owners into cleaning up Eight pairs of tickets for this summer’s festival are available exclusively to Connexion subscribers Recent power cut in Spain and Portugal is warning to holidaymakers to ensure they are prepared for worst-case scenario The resort is set to remain open to the public and not only to professionals The campaign to do right by Félicette started with Matthew Serge Guy a creative director who was puzzled that the frontier-busting feline hadn’t become a household name Sending animals to space was controversial then and now: Many didn’t survive the journey and even those that did were often subjected to extensive testing and painful surgeries (including one to implant electrodes in Félicette’s brain) where well-wishers still stop by to heap bananas on her headstone He got the ball rolling in 2017, with a Kickstarter campaign the campaign shot past its fundraising goal The bronze memorial designed by sculptor Gill Parker debuted in December 2019 It shows Félicette perched on top of the world with her eyes gazing skyward and her tail draping down over the globe Félicette was euthanized a few months after she returned to Earth, Smithsonian reported so that scientists could more closely scrutinize her body and learn about how space travel affected it many details of Félicette’s story remain a little fuzzy: She is said to be one of 14 cats recruited by the French space program but some accounts say that she was purchased from a pet store while others say she was chosen from among the cats slinking through the streets of Paris different reports refer to various cats by the same name one thing’s for sure: While some cats spend their whole lives moving from one puddle of sunlight to another Guy recommends contacting the International Space University before you visit, to make sure that the statue is on view and accessible.  A lonely memorial to the Challenger Space Shuttle, honoring the astronauts who died in 1986. This memorial to the Mercury Seven astronaut stands at the site of his former elementary school. This monument honors the life of a long-suffering lion whose story captivated the world. A metal ring in the middle of the road marks the exact spot where the Soviet satellite crash-landed in 1962. A bronze kitty adorns the grave of the polar explorer who brought the original feline to the Antarctic. The final resting place for an internet icon. For more than half a century, an enormous feline has watched over this London neighborhood. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Franco A led a double life while allegedly planning act of 'xenophobic' violence I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Franco A led a double life for more than a year remaining in his post as a Bundeswehr lieutenant while receiving state benefits under a fabricated identity as a supposed asylum seeker said the astonishing case provided “grim proof” that migrants had been registered in Germany “without proper examination of their identity” “Investigators must clearly and carefully examine how a Bundeswehr soldier could have his application as a Syrian asylum seeker recognised,” he added The German interior ministry said every effort would be made to discover how the migration ministry was duped admitting that Franco A’s application came at a time of “particular strain” “On the basis of an interview he was offered subsidiary protection – that decision was wrong,” a spokesperson said “The [relevant ministries] will leave no stone unturned until we know how this happened and The interior ministry said it had imposed enhanced security on asylum applicants taking every person’s fingerprints – which are cross-referenced with criminal databases - while carrying out individual interviews A spokesperson claimed that “structural flaws” were not the problem blaming the case on staff failing to follow protocol and insisting there was no reason for “needless review of all asylum seekers” The probe was triggered after Franco A stashed an unregistered 7.65mm pistol in a toilet at Vienna International Airport while attending a military ball there in January Austrian police detained him when he attempted to retrieve the loaded gun on 3 February running fingerprints that revealed his identity as a refugee in Germany – triggering the investigation that would expose the extraordinary plot Franco A created a fake persona under the name David Benjamin telling immigration officials he was from a Christian family with French roots No doubts appear to have been raised over the credibility of the 28-year-old’s claimed background despite him speaking mainly French with a smattering of Arabic from a language course on 30 December 2015 – as Germany was overwhelmed by the arrival of almost a million asylum seekers - then submitted an asylum application at Zirndorf in Bavaria in January last year he was given shelter in a refugee home and has received monthly financial benefits under this false identity,” the Frankfurt prosecutor’s office said point towards a xenophobic motive for the soldier’s suspected plan to commit an attack using a weapon deposited at Vienna airport.” Officials did not give any further details but Die Welt reported Franco A had repeatedly attacked Arab asylum seekers and Muslims in an online chat his fingerprints would have registered on the refugee records system and led investigators to his false identity as a Syrian asylum seeker turning fresh scrutiny on migrants in Germany But it fell apart when Franco A failed to answer a court summons in Austria sparking a wider investigation into “David Benjamin” that swiftly exposed the artifice According to Der Spiegel the suspect was regarded as “cosmopolitan and popular” among his friends and was an enthusiastic pupil who once dreamed of becoming a journalist before studying at the prestigious Saint-Cyr French military academy The German ministry of defence said Franco A had been in the army for eight years and was stationed at Illkirch-Graffenstaden in France where he did not raise an alert over right-wing extremism He appeared at the barracks on time and completed all courses even while dashing back to Bavaria to pick up monthly welfare payments Franco A was still serving when he was finally arrested being pulled out of a hole in the ground by police during a training exercise in Hammelburg on Wednesday was arrested for alleged involvement in the plot and allegedly shared anti-migrant news articles and text messages Police have searched the homes of the two suspects as well as their friends and workplaces with detectives seizing “extensive material” including mobile phones Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Ursula von der Leyen initially criticised army leaders for cases including far-right terror plot but now accepts responsibility Germany’s defence minister has come under fire after a series of scandals in the armed forces involving sexual harassment bullying and a far-right plot for a racially motivated terror attack Ursula von der Leyen, often tipped as a successor to Angela Merkel on Wednesday said she bore “responsibility for everything that happens in the Bundeswehr” after initially blaming weak army leadership “It is my responsibility to remedy abuses we know about, which I am currently doing,” she told the tabloid Bild She has called for in-depth investigations to deal with the cases The most prominent scandal involves a 28-year-old soldier identified as Franco A who was arrested a week ago on suspicion of planning an attack thought to be targeting asylum seekers and leftwing politicians including the Social Democrat interior minister and the former German president Joachim Gauck A 24-year-old student in possession of explosives was also detained The soldier registered as a Syrian refugee last January applied for asylum and was drawing money from the state It is believed he planned to carry out the attack and leave a trail to his fake identity A defence ministry spokesman said Von der Leyen had cancelled a trip to New York and Washington DC to focus on the Franco A investigation She had been due to meet with UN officials to discuss the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine have stopped short of calling for the minister’s resignation said Von der Leyen could not evade responsibility said she had the chancellor’s full support Von der Leyen travelled on Wednesday with the army’s chief of staff a French town south of Strasbourg where Franco A had been stationed and from where he is suspected of having stolen ammunition Investigators have also found evidence of Nazi memorabilia and historical images of Nazi soldiers The defence ministry stands accused of failing to heed repeated warnings that a small rightwing extremist group was operating within the military The Bundestag’s defence committee has launched its own investigation and is expected to release its findings announced last week that going back to 2011 it had identified 275 suspected right-wing extremists in the military’s ranks Von der Leyen’s initial public reaction to the allegations was to say the problems were long-term behavioural ones within the military She told German television that “the German army has an attitude problem and it appears to have weak leadership at various levels” she told reporters: “We have to ask systematically how someone with such clear rightwing extremist views who writes a master’s paper with clearly nationalistic ideas .. was able to continue to pursue a career in the Bundeswehr.” the German armed forces association said in a statement: “If Mrs von der Leyen says there is a leadership problem then one must of course say ‘leadership comes from the top down’.” A 100-strong body of top military officials have been summoned to Berlin on Thursday to discuss the investigation into Franco A as well as the numerous cases of misconduct across the ranks Von der Leyen comes from a prominent political family and is the daughter of the late Ernst Albrecht who was prime minister of the state of Lower Saxony She has enjoyed a rapid rise up the political ladder in just 12 years from a Christian Democratic Union councillor in the small Lower Saxon town of Sehnde to the federal government A mother of seven children who is also a qualified medical doctor, since 2005 she has held three cabinet posts, becoming Germany’s first female defence minister in 2013 when she launched a determined bid to reform the military In 2014 she launched a €100m campaign to make the military more attractive which included offering nursery services for soldiers’ children limiting postings to fit around school term dates and increasing hardship allowances for tough foreign postings She has also focused on trying to increase financial control over military equipment procurement The scandal comes just two weeks after Germany was left reeling from an attack on football club Borussia Dortmund’s team bus carried out by a German-Russian who is suspected of having obtained his explosives from army supplies. Experts reveal how to soothe your skin if you sustain sunburn this summer Swastika carved into gun found in suspect's room, along with Nazi-era memorabilia  Swastika carved into gun found in suspect's room was arrested after police traced a loaded gun he stashed at Vienna International Airport but investigations at his barracks have revealed signs of a wider network An assault rifle case carved with a swastika was found in his room where the letters HH [Heil Hitler] were inscribed on the wall and a Nazi-era pamphlet depicting a Wehrmacht soldier was discovered Germany’s RND media group published photos of the evidence which forms part of a report drawn up by the ministry of defence said there were also “indications of possible ammunition loss or theft” at Franco A’s barracks in Illkirch-Graffenstaden He did not raise any alarm over extremism in the army despite writing a master’s thesis on “political change and subversion strategy” at a French university in 2014 that was found to contain far-right thinking He created a fake persona under the name David Benjamin telling immigration officials he was a Damascus fruit seller from a Christian family with French roots No doubts appear to have been raised over the credibility of the 28-year-old’s background The ruse was only discovered when Franco A was arrested in Austria after returning to retrieve an unregistered 7.65mm pistol from a toilet at Vienna International Airport in February A fingerprint check revealed his fake identity as a Syrian refugee but when “David Benjamin” failed to answer a court summons in Austria He had a list of five potential targets for the attack, the Tagesspiegel newspaper reported a prominent left-wing politician and the Berlin Center for Political Beauty point towards a xenophobic motive for the soldier’s suspected plan to commit an attack using a weapon deposited at Vienna airport,” prosecutors said A 24-year-old student suspected of being an accomplice in the plot Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office has taken over the terror investigation which has sparked probes in the office for migration cancelled a scheduled visit to the US on Tuesday and summoned military commanders to discuss the plot and other recent scandals including sexual abuse and hazing at another military base After attacking “weak leadership” she ordered the most senior 100 generals and admirals to attend a meeting in Berlin on Thursday “We have to ask systematically how someone with such clear right-wing extremist views who writes a master's paper with clearly nationalistic ideas .. could continue to pursue a career in the Bundeswehr,” Ms von der Leyen told reporters She plans to travel to Illkirch for an update on the investigation as some politicians pushed back against her criticism of the military a fellow member of Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU lawmaker and head of the parliamentary defence committee told Reuters the military had “no fundamental problem with radicalism or abuses” But Germany's military intelligence agency has recorded 275 suspected case of right-wing extremists in the military's ranks including some dating back to 2011 and 53 cases first identified this year The Set Collection has announced the appointment of Jean-Pierre Trevisan as General Manager of Palace Le Lutetia Paris Rive Gauche Rosewood Paris where since 2018 he was in charge of operations and development of the establishment's quality standards where he spent more than seven years as Hotel Director and notably played a key role in project management during the successful renovation of the property between July 2012 and June 2016 He had joined The Ritz in 2006 as F&B Director Jean-Pierre gained extensive experience as Director of Food & Beverage in renowned hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris and in the Inter-Continental group Discovery of Nazi-era memorabilia being openly displayed at two German barracks The defence ministry said the command came from the inspector general of the Bundeswehr (Germany's armed forces) All barracks will be searched for material linked to the Wehrmacht The move follows a growing scandal over far-right extremism within the army with an officer accused of plotting an attack where he would be disguised as a Syrian refugee Prosecutors in Frankfurt said the 28-year-old had a "xenophobic background" Germany's Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen cancelled a planned trip to the US and travelled to his garrison in Illkirch Officials found Wehrmacht memorabilia openly displayed there in the common room was then sucked into the scandal on Saturday after a display cabinet was found containing Nazi-era helmets Spiegel online reported that pictures of Wehrmacht soldiers were found on a wall A Defence Ministry spokesman told Reuters the items found in Donaueschingen did not include Nazi objects punishable under German law Ms Von der Leyen said last Wednesday that she would not tolerate the veneration of the Wehrmacht in today's army She said the latest scandals were no longer isolated cases adding that "a misunderstood esprit de corps" had led senior officers to "look the other way" The minister later apologised for the tone of her criticism after political opponents accused her of smearing the whole army Top Stories RSS Follow RNZ News The match presents a fantastic challenge for the Roca Boys who will give their fans the best Christmas gift possible with a win over SIG Basket A victory is also a crucial component of Monaco qualifying for the Leaders Cup SIG Strasbourg is dangerous from several different positions on the floor Former Monegasque player Ali Traoré is among their ranks and has recently just extended his contract with the  Alsatian squad until 2020 The duo of Ali and giant Mustapha Fall (7’2″) is known for their physical dominance in the paint Managing the two big men will be a major challenge for  Elmedin Kikanovic and Eric Buckner who will have to do their best on the boards to give the Roca Team a fighting chance Mike Green is also a very competent point guard who will keep Zeek Jones and Derek Needham occupied throughout the match and Monaco will hope to have a breakout performance from the very physical Eric Buckner in the post 90-81 against Chalon) and two in the BCL (81-73 against Ljubljana giving them their historic 100th victory in the European competition) They do not have any major injuries to speak of and they have recently integrated former NBA player (Washington Boston) Jarell Eddie who is coming off of a good performance against Chalon (22 points on 6 of 8 shooting from three)